Material Girl Finds

Material Girl Finds

Hat, $115

When I asked C&G owner Janet Cummings Good what kind of hat this was it set off a somewhat lengthy discussion among myself, Good and a store patron about movies, weddings and, eventually, hats. Good thought it was a hat to wear to a garden party. A customer said she thought of it as a "Holly-Golightly" hat, like one the Audrey Hepburn character in "Breakfast at Tiffany's" wore. Good said it would also be a nice hat to wear to a wedding and we all ruminated a bit about that. I finally said I thought it could be called a sun hat, and the other two women nodded in agreement. So that's what we decided it was, a wide-brimmed sun hat made by Manny's Millinery in New Jersey.

From the Stonington Borough store that sells everything for under $10, this red tank has funky "pleats" of fabric that give it a nice texture and depth. Imported from India it has a pleasantly snug fit that holds you in place in all the right places.

Zia's Apparel & Jewelry

129 Water St., Stonington

860.535.2298

Ugly Doll, $19.99

The Ugly Dolls burst on the scene about eight years ago, the collaborative effort between two married artists. Ugly Dolls all have cute little names and their popularity shows no sign of abating yet. They come in several different sizes and prices, ranging from ones that would fit in the palm of your hand to huge ones that kids (and I'm guessing some adults) use as bed pillows. The Bowerbird in Old Lyme carries several varieties of Ugly Dolls, including this one, named "Fea Bea, the Ugly Stick."

At Panfili's Fruit Stand in Salem you can get exotic peaches, native strawberries and homemade pies made from locally grown fruit. But some of the main attractions at this quirky road-side stand are inedible. There's a large collection of garden pots and lawn ornaments, including this jaunty iron fish planter that stands about 18-inches tall. Drill a hole in the bottom, put it in a large saucer with water and a circulating pump and you've got yourself a pretty nice fountain as well.